Pale
by CelianAdellanie
Summary: Kanae fell into a trap she didn't even know existed. Please RxR, and consider this poor girl's plight. I can say no more.


**DISCLAIMER: It really seems like the only reason these exist is so that one can invent humorous ones. So I shall oblige. I own Revolutionary Girl Utena just as must as Saionji owns Anthy. In my dreams.**

Kanae sat formally on the white chair fashioned into the shape of a rose bush, clutching her teacup with delicate hands. The sun was setting now, sending low rays that painted everything in blush and gold. Mrs. Ohtori smoothed back a loose strand of hair into her chignon, and the doorbell rung. The tinkling notes sounded oddly ominous.

Mrs. Ohtori stood up, setting down her own teacup. Kanae bit her lip. Her mother was wearing heels inside the house. Odd. She watching, only slightly puzzled, as her mother spritzed on the expensive rose perfume her invalid father had bought her mother for her birthday. She only put that on for the so-called "important people". Never Mr. Ohtori.

To be quite honest, her parents were a mystery to her. It baffled her why her mother would want to spend time with her now. All she remembered as a child was Mrs. Ohtori's complaints about Kanae's drab hair and shy manner. So why was she expending the effort to have tea in a non-public setting, even if it was to set up a marriage?

She began to feel apprehensive as her mother clicked down the hall, her footsteps superimposed with the carefully placed paces of a stranger. She didn't want to marry so soon. Kanae never liked the idea of becoming a trophy wife for whomever inherited Ohtori Academy. Her mother insisted, though, and her father complied as he always did. What was this family of hers?

The door opened with a sort of mechanical precision, held open by the stranger. Her mother stepped back into the room again, a faint smirk playing at the edge of her lips. There were three teacups on the table, but two were closer to each other than one. Kanae tidied her skirt self-consciously.

"Mr. Akio Himemiya, may I introduce you to my daughter, Kanae Ohtori?" the question held a tinge of a laugh, hinting at something more. Of course she would flirt with Kanae's husband-to-be. Kanae's wan smile turned into a true grin when she met Akio's eyes. He was gorgeous. She bowed from her seat, and he kissed her hand, looking up through what were impossibly long eyelashes for a man. Kanae felt a blush rising on her cheeks and suppressed the urge to hide her face.

"A pleasure, Miss Kanae. I may call you that?" Kanae only nodded, her eyes locked with his. She felt her mother's critical gaze on her, but Kanae was already taken by his chocolate-smooth tone to notice. He was much too dashing to be real, she decided. And saying her first name so quickly! Bold, as well. She could tell it was irritating her mother. That was just the thing, she decided. To have small rebellion of her own, one that her mother hadn't expected.

"May I call you Akio, then?" Kanae asked, trying give him that same alluring look. Though she knew she failed, Akio smiled at her effort. Mrs. Ohtori was livid.

"Of course," he said silkily. He pushed one of the teacups from the couple so that it was closer to the lone teacup, then sat down next to her. Ever so casually, he rested his arm on the back of her chair. Mrs. Ohtori cleared her throat meaningfully.

"Kanae, dear, this man is to be your betrothed. Your father has planned the marriage for a month after you graduate." The endearment did not make Kanae sound dear. "We have found him to be… well qualified for the position of Chairman." Her pause in speech did not go unnoticed. Akio shared a superior look with her mother, and Kanae felt a niggling fear that there was something they weren't telling her. Then Akio turned his intentions back to her, and she forgot her concerns.

"Would you like to see the planetarium?" Kanae asked. "I've heard you're quite interested in astronomy." That was a lie. She didn't know anything about this man except that he was tall and handsome, and engaged to her. Also that her mother didn't quite approve of him, and maybe that the two had known each other in the past. It was perfect.

"Would I?" he laughed. "It's like the girl read my mind."

Kanae was out walking the next day, trying to savor the last snatched of warmth before winter drained fall of all its colors. She rubbed her forearms to keep them warm, uncovered as they were by the sleeves of her orange dress. It was cool in the shade, blisteringly hot in the sun. She allowed her mind to wander, as it so often did these days, but stopped short when she was confronted with a bouquet of roses a pale teal.

"For you," the girl said with feigned sweetness that made Kanae shiver. She peeked from behind the large bundle of flowers, the reflection of her glasses making it seem as it she had glared at her. Kanae blinked, and was greeted by a placid curve of the lips. She looked remarkably like Akio. His sister?

"Are you a Himemiya?" Kanae asked. The girl's smile only grew wider. They stood for an awkward moment until a screech interrupted them. A monkey, or perhaps an inordinately large mouse was laughing at a withered rose bush seedling that was being eaten by, oddly enough, an enormous red spider. The girl's eyes widened, and she pressed the roses into Kanae's hands so that she could rush to the seedling.

"ChuChu, that's a horrible thing to laugh at!" she scolded the monkey-mouse. "We need to help the roses to grow." She clucked, worry distressing her face. "And this variety produces such a lovely scent. What a shame." She soon became absorbed in caring for the seedling, checking to see if it had enough water, if its roots were intact. Kanae knew she had been forgotten, so she just whispered a goodbye and continued on her way.

By the time she had gotten home, the crickets were chirping their nighttime song. The door was locked. She pushed once on the doorbell once, then twice. At long last, Akio answered the door, his hair tousled and his tie crooked. Kanae looked away. What was going on in there? A strong hand cupped her chin, and Akio forced her to look into his eyes.

"What is it, princess?" Kanae shrunk away unintentionally. The intensity in his tone did not match his words. She stepped back, dropping the roses. He let go, wiping his hand on his red silk shirt.

"What…" she started, but trailed away when her mother joined Akio at the door. Her hair was down, steely blue curls tumbling past her shoulders. The first two buttons of her blouse were undone. Kanae looked back and forth between the two.

"Did you need something, Kanae?" Mrs. Ohtori inquired.

Deliberately, almost tauntingly, Akio slid an arm around Mrs. Ohtori's waist. Her mother did not reject his touch, to Kanae's surprised. No one touched mother. No one. Too many school officials had been promptly fired just for drooling after her cold beauty. Kanae took another step back, shaking her head no. This was wrong. This was so, so wrong.

She turned around and bolted, not caring when she tripped over the steps leading up to Nemuro Memorial Hall. Kanae fell to the ground. She cursed when she saw a bruise spreading on her ankle, then pressed a hand to her mouth. Mother did not tolerate immoral girls. Gritting her teeth, she stood up. She walked forwards only a meter when she fell again. She yelped, afraid of falling down the stairs, but was caught right before she touched the ground.

"Are you alright?" a man's voice asked, with a feel alike to disinterest. He pulled her to her feet, then helped her into the front lobby of the room. She collapsed into a lounge chair, breath uneven. "You're crying." It was an observation, not a kindness. Kanae didn't wipe the tears dripping down her face, instead giving in to sobbing. "Here," he said, handing her a handkerchief in irritation. "Stop crying already."

"Thank you," Kanae choked, throat catching on her tears. They tasted of salt and bitterness.

"Surely you're not crying because you hurt yourself?"

"No…"

"Something else?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Kanae sniffled, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. "Sorry to inconvenience you."

"That is fine," he replied. She looked at him, the blurriness fading from her eyes. It was Mikage, the famous, or perhaps infamous, genius high school senior. He was almost past stereotypically stoic. Even his appearance communicated an air of control, from his neatly trimmed pale pink hair to his immaculate school uniform to his emotionless red eyes.

"If you ever are in need of help, you can come here again." Kanae blinked. She had not been expecting that. "As you may know," he continued, "I run the Mikage Seminar. It would be an honor for the daughter of the Ohtori Academy's Chairman to attend." He smiled slightly, clasping his hand in his lap.

"Maybe," Kanae said tentatively. Perhaps it would be a good chance, to get away from the monotony of too-difficult classes and endless social functions. She had heard of the Seminar, mostly that it was for smart students, but also that many went there to find solutions to their everyday problems. Her mother wouldn't approve. To her, intellectuals were just pawns to increase the reputation of the school, not people to actually know.

Mikage sat forward in his chair. "I do believe we can help you to find your eternity." Kanae frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind." Mikage's eyes clouded. "Do you need help going home?" His voice was oddly sullen.

"I will be alright," she said, at last answering his first question. When she stood up, her ankle felt better, if not healed. He led her to the door. "Goodnight!"

Breakfast the next day was terribly awkward, although no one would admit it. It took all of Kanae's courage to ask, near the end of the meal, "What is happening between you two?" At least she used formal language, but even that wouldn't soften her mother's wrath much. Mrs. Ohtori turned on her.

"Kanae!" she reprimanded. She raised her arm to slap Kanae, but was stopped with Akio's words.

"Come now. Let the child know if she wants to." His voice dripped into Kanae's ear like sickly sweet caramel. "There is nothing between your mother and I, my dear princess. Will you believe me?" He shot her such a yearning look that Kanae found herself saying yes before she could stop herself. "That's a good girl. Now. Run along to the planetarium. I know where it is, but you'll have to give me a tour."

Obediently, Kanae went to the planetarium. She flicked on the lights hurriedly as the elevator doors slammed shut behind her. She shouldn't seem trapped in her own house. She walked over to one of the large windows that stretched from ceiling to floor. Ohtori looked as cheerful as ever, but there was something not quite right a

"You must be close."

"Very." Anthy joined her at the window, seeming to float rather than to walk. She placed a hand on the window. "That's pretty scarf."bout it.

She turned when she felt another's gaze on her. Light reflected off the glasses of the girl Kanae had met before, the one who had given her the roses. "Hello," Kanae said, trying to be welcoming. "I remember seeing you… around. Are you related to Mr. Himemiya?" The girl smiled petting her monkey.

"I'm his sister, Anthy," she replied. The intensity of her tone made it clear that they were not simply siblings.

"Thank you." Kanae fingered the fabric, smiling. It was her favorite. Her boyfriend had given it to her in her first year of high school. He was gone, had moved to America, but Kanae still remembered the time when her mother didn't pay her any attention. If only it had stayed that way. Anthy must be going through the same thing right now, what with her brother rising to fame so quickly.

"You can borrow it if you'd like," she offered, feeling a sudden surge of sympathy. She unwrapped the silk and handed it to Anthy. Anthy looked down at the scarf, then up at Kanae.

"Thank you." It sounded more like a question than like thanks. Anthy sat down at the white couch nearby, taking her glasses off. "I made tea, if you care for some." Roses, the same color as the day before, were in a vase on a table.

"Yes, please." Kanae sat on the couch opposite Anthy. Anthy poured tea from the teapot that Kanae's mother treasured so much, rose patterns enhanced with gold. Mrs. Ohtori never let anyone else touch that teapot. Kanae accepted her tea, then choked. There was too much sugar in the tea to hide the bitterness of a too-long steeping.

"Excuse me," she murmured, then realized Anthy wasn't paying attention. She was polishing her glasses with Kanae's treasured scarf. She reached forward quickly, her hands grabbing the silk in Anthy's hands. "You don't use a scarf to polish glasses!" Anthy blinked. "Don't you have a polishing cloth?" What was wrong with this girl?

Anthy grinned, letting go of the cloth. Kanae sat back in her seat, clutching the scarf. She exhaled, watching Anthy. That girl should have been able to tell how much Kanae treasured the scarf, but instead she used it as a polishing cloth. Her mannerisms were a little too odd. How was she related to Mr. Himemiya? Kanae could only imagine the trouble that his sister must cause him by acting like that.

"Kanae, dear?" Akio asked. He had joined them in the planetarium. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Guess what?" His face was excited. "Your lovely mother said I could use this floor for my room. Isn't that wonderful?" All the threatening aura he had had earlier was gone, replaced by a boyish enthusiasm. Perhaps she had just imagined that exchange.

"Anthy!" His gaze turned to his sister. "I missed you! But I will catch up with you later. Is that alright?" The admiration in his eyes was plain. The… lust.

"Of course, Big Brother," she answered, and then was gone as if she had never been there in the first place. Akio placed an arm around Kanae's waist, hugging her to him not-so-subtly. It made Kanae blush, but she pretended to act as if it were normal.

"Show me where the controls are?" he requested, whispering in her ear. She dropped the scarf to the ground. Kanae led him to the projector, a hulking, mighty machine. It scared her when she was little, but she knew it as a friend now. She showed him how to shut off all the lights, how to set the night sky, how to shut the blinds over all the windows.

The room was suddenly very dark. Kanae fumbled for the switch to turn the lights back on, but a strong hand stopped her. "Leave them off, hmm?" Akio asked, but of course it wasn't a request. Kanae's heartbeat filled the silence. She tried to step away, but backed into Akio's arms. "This is nice, isn't it?'

"Mr. Himemiya, we shouldn't be doing this."

"Don't think, Kanae. Just listen. Can you hear it? The sound racing towards the End of the World…" He flipped the switch, and the false stars were the only witness to what took place.

"Big brother?" Anthy asked. Akio looked up from Kanae.

"Yes, sister?"

"I need you."

"I think that's enough for tonight," Akio said unapologetically. He leaned in so that Kanae could see his pupils. "You will not tell anyone. About me, about your mother?" He looked doubtful for a moment, then shook his head, laughing. "No, you wouldn't dare. You couldn't face the shame." Kanae couldn't protest.

Kanae woke up to the sound of birds chirping. She blinked. This high in the tower, she shouldn't be hearing birds. She got up from the couch, hugging herself. Akio was gone. On the table, next to wilted teal roses, was a bird, a glass, a chocolate bar, an umbrella, and a photograph. Wait. The roses were gone. Lilies had replaced them. White lilies.

The rest of the day passed in flashes. Akio again. A kiss. His sister, her pink-haired friend. The girl looked at Akio. What a joke. Kanae didn't feel like laughing. "You don't have have to be so formal with me," Kanae found herself saying to Anthy.

"Of course," Anthy replied. For a second, a smirk turned her features ugly. Then the placid smile returned. It was her fault, Anthy's fault. She had twisted her brother this way. She was keeping him from Kanae.

"Excuse me, I have an interview scheduled for today." Kanae walked down the hall, following the pointing fingers on the signs, and shut the door closed. The sign turned to "in use".


End file.
